This is probably just a matter of preference, with the exception of scale drawings and such, but what size do you prefer to render in?

For my classes I always end up with dinky plates because that's what is assigned. I'm much happier working much larger - so i can actually have details rather than just implied bits and such. I mean, really, how does one get detail with pastel on black charcoal paper when it's only 11x17? Do you wittle the pastle to a fine point every 3 seconds?

In all my books, everything seems larger. The Epcot renderings are massive, as were most scenic renderings for various park areas. This is based on the size of the human being working on the peice, or for example, Walt standing infront of his Disneyland plans.

I'm thinking the way to go should really be large pieces reduced down for presentation - that way it's the printer's problem to get the detail right rather than hoping my medium wont blunder in the miniscule. To note, i'm also the only person in my group who prefers real wood to mechanical pencils and sharpie-style to "extra ultra super tiny fine" archival markers.

Oh - on a similiar note... I need a good print shop, for reducing, transfering, etc.. Any suggestions on how to find a decent one?

Holly3216
Member
Posts: 77
(4/20/06 9:45 am)
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New Post Re: Question of Size
I'm not in the industry yet, but from the concept work that I've done thus far, I would guess that size is a matter of:

1. Preference
2. Level of detail that you're presenting in that stage of the process (you probably don't want to spend much time on big pages full of little details when the project is still in the early concept stages, nor do you want unclear detail in the final stages).
3. Audience (is the art for communicating ideas to your own team? are you doing a final presentation for the company president? is this the "final vision" that the people building the thing will want to use as reference?)
4. The format you will be presenting the art in... Presentation boards may require artwork of similar size in order to print right (ex. I did a piece that was 30"+ for a 40" presentation board... as a piece of digital art, the size was somewhat restricted by the computer's ability to handle the file). Some digital projectors only really handle a resolution of about 720 by 480 (I've used projectors that rear-project for 14' wide screens, and that was the resolution everything was created in). Make sure to pump up the dpi appropriately when you're scanning artwork.

That would be my best guess... (an unprofessional opinion)

The renderings in your books are probably late in the concepting process, when they had, for the most part, nailed down what they wanted. The renderings were probably used to gain investment capital, understand exactly what the space would look like when built, etc. So a good amount of polish, precision and detail would be desired...

Hopefully one of the professionals here will weigh in on the question...

Beyond our good crew of professionals here, there might be some people on ConceptArt.org who have some solid ideas about this also...

naversen1
ezOP
Posts: 32
(4/20/06 11:31 am)
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New Post Re: Question of Size Size wise, we generally draw due to a couple limits:

1) Printed paper sizes

8.5x11
11x17
18x24
24x36
30x42
36x48

These are standard architectural sizes. At every place I've ever been at we usually either use 11x17 or 30x42. 11x17 suffices for most things except full size cad plans. That's what I recommend you use for most small renderings.

Occasionally if it's a color rendering, artists will go up to 18x24 or 24x36. But the nice thing about doing most things in photoshop is that you can resize as necessary to fit the paper.

2) Computer renderings were limited in size due to the RAM requirements. However, since computers have gotten faster in the last few years this is less of an issue. But people worked small because if you could communicate an idea with a small drawing, why 'wait on' a larger drawing? So that's the other limiting factor.

I think painters especially (like the disney artists of old) worked on larger sized canvases but since everyone has gone digital, this has gone by the wayside. For the better.

Nate

naversen1
ezOP
Posts: 33
(4/20/06 11:33 am)
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New Post Re: Question of Size One more thing...

When it comes to a classroom setting with a jury, larger renderings are preferable because you can see them from a distance. I recommend at least 18x24 for a jury but better yet, 24x36.